Best Internet Providers in Michigan

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Rural and 5G home internet in Michigan

In areas where a wired connection will not reach, wireless internet may be the last resort for broadband internet. Here are the providers you may want to consider in rural Michigan.

Hughesnet: Thanks to a new satellite, Hughesnet recently boosted its speed and data allowances. Pricing ranges from $50 to $65 monthly for speeds up to 50 or 100Mbps and data caps of 100GB or 200GB, depending on your chosen plan. Once you’ve surpassed your data allowance, Hughesnet may slow your speeds for the remainder of the billing cycle. 

Mercury Broadband: Fixed wireless providers like Mercury Broadband can typically offer faster speeds and higher data allowances than satellite internet. In the case of Mercury, speeds of 30Mbps to 150Mbps are available in most service areas, and there are no data caps to worry about. At $50 to $79 per month, the pricing is fair for what you get compared with the alternatives.

Starlink: If you want fast internet in rural Michigan, especially in the northern part of the state and the Upper Peninsula, Starlink may be your best bet. Speeds of 100Mbps or higher are available in select areas of Michigan, according to the FCC, although signing up will potentially cost you $249 to get started and $120 per month after that.

T-Mobile Home Internet: Aside from Frontier, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet may be your best option for internet in rural Michigan. Broadband coverage spans much of the state, speeds range from 87Mbps to 415Mbps and the $50-$70 per month service comes with unlimited data, no equipment fees and no contracts.

Viasat: Potential speeds are a bit higher with Viasat compared to HughesNet. Much of Michigan can get download speeds of 50Mbps or higher with Viasat. Plans start at $99 per month for unlimited data.

What about Verizon 5G Home Internet? That’s currently less of a rural option, although it could serve as a low-cost, low-hassle alternative to traditional wired internet providers in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Grand Rapids — areas where Verizon’s Ultra Wideband network is most accessible. Service is $50 per month for speeds of 50Mbps to 80Mbps, or it’s $70 per month for 80Mbps to 250Mbps. Eligible Verizon mobile customers can get the service for $35 to $45.

Michigan broadband at a glance

Per the most recent FCC data, broadband speeds of 100Mbps down and 20Mbps up are available to 100% of Michigan households. Satellite and fixed wireless internet skews that number a bit, as only 87% of residences can get broadband speeds from a wired cable, DSL or fiber-optic connection. Still, many in Michigan’s more densely populated areas will have access to two or more practical options for high-speed internet.

Internet pricing in Michigan

WOW and Xfinity have the cheapest internet plans among major ISPs in Michigan. WOW’s cheapest plan edges out Xfinity’s in price and speed, but either is a solid choice for budget-friendly broadband. For added savings, consider using your own Wi-Fi equipment. Rental fees from WOW and Xfinity could inflate your bill by around $10-$15 per month, but you can skip the fee by using your own compatible router.

If you can’t get WOW or Xfinity, or want a little more speed than the 100Mbps to 150Mbps you’d get, expect to pay at least $50 to $60 monthly for the service. AT&T, Frontier, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet all start around there, although none come with fees that will excessively add to the cost. 

How fast is broadband in Michigan?

Gigabit download speeds are available throughout much of Michigan thanks to high-speed providers including AT&T Fiber, Spectrum, WOW and Xfinity, among others. Upload speeds are a different story, as fiber internet — essentially the only technology to offer symmetrical or close download and upload speeds — is limited to roughly 16% of Michigan residents. 

Recent speed test reports by Ookla placed Michigan 26th for fastest download speeds at 202Mbps. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Xfinity was the fastest provider in the state, averaging speeds of 236Mbps. Upload speeds didn’t fare as well. Michigan ranked 36th in upload speeds at around 20Mbps.

Keep in mind that there are many factors affecting tested internet speeds. Using an Ethernet versus Wi-Fi connection, distance from your router when using Wi-Fi and a plan’s maximum speeds can all have an impact on tested speeds. Michigan’s tested speeds are somewhat middle of the pack, faster speeds are certainly available to many Michigan residents.

Internet breakdown by city in Michigan

It’s hard to cover the broadband options of an entire state and give individual cities the attention they deserve. That’s why we also compile lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Michigan. We tackle details such as internet connection types, maximum speeds and cheapest providers. Check back later if you don’t find the city you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more locations every week. 

What’s a good internet speed? 

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to engage in high-bandwidth activities such as videoconferencing, streaming and gaming simultaneously.
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities such as videoconferencing, streaming and gaming.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Michigan

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes, but all information provided is accurate as of publication. 

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions: 

• Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? 
• Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying? 
• Are customers happy with their service? 

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. 

When selecting the cheapest internet service — the criteria are relatively simple. We look for the service package with the lowest monthly fee, though we also consider promotional rates and price per megabit. As for choosing the fastest internet service, we look at provider throughput. Most often, that means a fiber-optic service. That said, fiber availability may be limited to fewer addresses. 

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Michigan internet FAQs

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